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and he； Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko； supreme pragmatist； could not reconcile himself to this reality。
Dr。 Kalinin turned Valeri's daughter to face him； and Valeri said； 〃Koshka。〃 Darling。 And； despite himself； despite the presence of Dr。 Kalinin； a tear leaked out of his eye； ran down his cheek to drop at his feet。
〃My granny once told me a proverb； 'Strangers begin with your own family；' 〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃You would do well to remember that。〃
Honno said； 〃There are only strangers in my world now。〃 She used the word hito； which could be translated as 〃people；〃 but always with a pejorative twist to it。 Hito were never insiders； they were always strangers。
''I want to thank you for moving me out of Eikichi's house；'' Honno went on。 ''I have asked nothing of him except that I never see him again。〃
They were sitting on a sofa in an apartment of considerable size。 Big Ezoe was in a dark business suit； Honno in a pair of natural silk city shorts and long shirt…jacket； an outfit she had just bought。 Lamps of various sizes and shapes illuminated a room filled with chic contemporary Western furniture。 They had just returned from a long； leisurely dinner in a rough； smoky restaurant； surrounded by sumo wrestlers busily consuming everything in sight。
Outside； the last vestiges of moonlight were about to be obscured by scudding storm clouds。
〃I trust you're pleased with your new acmodations；〃 Big Ezoe said； spreading his arms wide。
〃It's magnificent；'' Honno said。 She got up； went to the windows。 〃I always dreamed of having an apartment that overlooked the Sumida。 Look！ Moonlight on the river！ It's like a woodblock print。〃 She felt as if she were seeing the city from an entirely new perspective。
She turned to face Big Ezoe。 ''I'm still in something of a state of shock； and part of that； I suppose； is intimidation。 The size of this place is immense； so very American。〃
Big Ezoe laughed。 ''It's true that my American friends feel at home here。 They always feel so crowded and cramped in Tokyo； they tell me。 They're grateful to stay here。〃
〃You needn't worry；〃 Honno said； immediately concerned。 ''I won't be here long。〃
Big Ezoe waved a hand。 〃Stay as long as you need to；〃 he said。 〃I have many such apartments all across Tokyo。〃
〃Well； there's the expense to think of。〃
〃Why should you think of it？〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃I don't。〃 Honno looked at him； and he nodded。 〃Now you're thinking； Why is he doing this？ What does he want from me； and when is he going to exact his price？〃
〃No； I…〃
〃It's perfectly natural to have such thoughts。 First； I am Yakuza。 Second； you hate my guts。 You yourself said as much when we met again。 This is not a bination to inspire a sense of trust； is it？〃
Honno found it impossible to answer。 She had never before encountered anyone who had the temerity to be so direct； to cut through the layers of ritualized fabrication that seemed an integral part of every conversation。
''But the fact is that my interest is a simple one： the evidence of wrongdoing your friend Kakuei Sakata left behind in those cryptic ledgers。 I have many important ties to the business munity。 I don't know what Sakata knew； what he had gotten hold of； but it is important for me to find out； before anyone else does and leaks it to the authorities； such as your husband。''
〃But…〃
〃It is time to get on with things。 Are you ready； Mrs。 Kansei？〃 Big Ezoe produced a memo pad； tore off the top sheet of paper； handed it to her。 〃This is your itinerary for tonight。 Please follow it。 I promise you will be neither disappointed nor bored。 There's a car waiting for you downstairs。 The driver has a copy of the itinerary； and he's familiar with all the venues。〃
' 'But what about Giin and the ledgers？ 〃
〃I'll meet you at the Ginza club at six tomorrow morning； and we'll discuss everything then。〃 Big Ezoe rose。 〃Now I must leave you。 Enjoy yourself tonight； Mrs。 Kansei。〃
There was； indeed； a driver waiting for Honno outside。 He bowed； opened the back door of a pearl…gray 560 SEL Mercedes with tinted windows。 The night air was already heavy with hints of the ing bad weather。 Honno ducked into the cool； dimly lit interior； found someone already in the backseat。
〃Good evening； Mrs。 Kansei；〃 a thin young man said pleasantly。 He wore his thick hair slicked back over his delicate ears； a pair of wide； masculine sunglasses was wrapped around his eyes。 He was dressed in an immaculate dove…gray summer…weight suit； with a starched white shirt and a rep tie。 Honno noticed gold cuff links and a ring that appeared to be a nugget of gold。 〃I am Fukuda；〃 he said。 〃Big Ezoe asked me to be your guide tonight。 Will that be convenient。〃 There was no interrogative at the end of the sentence； and therefore it lost its usual meaning。
The enormous Mercedes was already slipping effortlessly through the choked Tokyo streets。 How it was able to do that； Honno could not imagine。 It was as if she had entered another world； someplace that most people never knew existed； let alone ever got to see； a world where the natural laws of physics； economics； and social customs were void； a world of smoke and dreams。 Honno put her head back； luxuriating in the feel of the German leather； and thought of nothing。
Their first stop was in Shinjuku。 Honno and Fukuda rode the high…speed elevator to the fortieth floor。 He led her down a corridor filled only with the hushed whisper of the air…conditioning。
Fukuda produced a key。 They slipped through a small door just down the hall from a set of imposing double doors on which was painted one character in kanji； KAGA； along with the corporate logo in three…dimensional bronze； which was as universally known as that of Mitsubishi or Panasonic。
The rooms through which they passed like ghosts were silent； save for the battery of fax machines running； now and again； like arcane radios； picking up the random conversation of the cosmos； sending out their own messages in timed sequence to Australia； West Germany； me United States； on and on； a bizarre automated munication among masses of electronic circuits and silicone chips； whole cities of a new civilization。
At length Fukuda turned a doorknob； and as he did so； he put his forefinger briefly across Honno's lips。 Shhh。 Honno found herself in a secretary's anteroom。 The window behind the empty desk had its blinds up； and a brilliant shaft of light shot outward。 Fukuda led her around to an area of shadow where they could stand and peer into the inner office； assured of not being seen themselves。
Inside； a heavyset middle…aged man was busy on the sofa with a woman who had her skirt up over her hips。 Fukuda put his lips to Honno's ear。 〃The man is Kaga's senior vice…president of finance。 Does the woman look familiar？〃
Honno looked； was stunned to recognize Mama…san from the house that Big Ezoe owned； where they had discovered her husband with his lover。
Honno watched； fascinated； as the Kaga vice…president worked assiduously on his own pleasure。 It was odd； she thought； how incongruous； even grotesque； the act could appear without the elusive ingredient of sexual attraction。 The one true magic potion…passion…was the great leveler that cut throug